In 100 Words: Home Radio is Back, Sort Of
November 20, 2014 97.9 Natural brought back the ‘Home Radio’ name in November. (Logo courtesy of Aliw Broadcasting Corporation) There seems no end in sight for the embattled Natural 97.9. Just recently, the Home Radio brand, which was supposedly retired in July, was brought back the playlist of 90's to present of current songs. This is already the fourth brand change for the Aliw-owned 97.9 FM frequency since the original Home Radio ended its broadcasts in March. While the ‘re-re-re-rebranded’ Home Radio Natural kept the Top 40 CHR/OPM format and which is now brought back the original Home Radio with easy listening songs (which is after 7-month hiatus and return on October 1) within adult contemporary hits and adult hits, the latest name change clearly showed the station’s lack of direction and identity, the return of female DJs to the station after dismissed of 4-months, but this time is Candy Grapes to host Dear Caandy (Monday to Saturday 9 p.m. to 12 midnight), the songs she plays their easy listening hits by slowdown music and within the easy listening love songs. Since 2009-2014, 97dot9 Home Radio brought the female DJs are Alex (Honey Berry), Toni (Candy Grapes), Louie (Lucy Lemon), Dani and Jamie, but on July 3, 2014 dismissed its female DJs in favor of being manned by all-male DJs. And now is Candy Grapes (Toni) is the only Home Radio female DJ, along with Jake Fruit is the newest DJ of Home Radio, will now join the current roster of Home Radio all-male DJs are Juan Banana (Jack), Braggy Orange, Marco Avocado (Kristoff), Adam Apple (Bob Cat) and Rico Mango (Rick Spade), and the celebrity DJs are Ducan Ramos and Jimmy Bondoc. Home Radio's format in the playlist with the perfect mix of easy listening hits (Adult Contemporary and Adult Hits from the 90's up to present and today's hottest hits (Top 40 Contemporary Hit Radio). Expect that brought back to its classic hits from the 70's and 80's as Classic Jam and the Original Pilipino Music (OPM) hits from 70's up to present as Pinoy Music Jam, now played everyday, every top of the hour. Its the new countdown on Home Radio named Weekly Top 20 (Friday at 5 to 7 p.m.), listing the top 20 hottest hits of the week with Adam Apple. On Thursday, is just brought back for VHS: Trowback Thursday for dance, rock and pop tunes heard from 80's music to 2008 in favor of contemporary hit radio. The owners seem to have moved on from the proud and loud past that is ’97dot9 Home Radio’. Much like 103.5 K-Lite, 97dot9 Home Radio Natural is a headache waiting to happen. What happened next was a saga of rebrands and format changes within 97.9 that baffled the entire FM radio community. First, Home Radio was dropped from its name in July, only to bring it back in November, and then in August, the format changed from Hot AC (‘masa’) to Top 40 Contemporary Hit Radio while it brought back to the original Easy Listewning format with the mix of Adult Conemporary and Adult Hits after 7-months. 'NEW SCHEDULE' Savor life with good music and good vibes everyday as 97.9 Home Radio Natural continues to play the hottest hits of today (Top 40 Contemporary Hit Radio) usually starts daily three times a day from 4am-9am, 12nn-2pm and 5-9pm, while palyig the original easy listening hits of 25/7 (Adult Contemporary and Adult Hits). Targeting the age bracket 15 to 29 years old, 60% female and 40% male. Experience the unique flavor and engaging interactive programs from the hip roster of Home Radio DJs are Juan Banana, Braggy Orange, Marco Avocado, Adam Apple, Candy Grapes. Rico Mango, Jake Fruit, and celebrity musicians Jimmy Bondoc, and Duncan Ramos. 97.9 Home Radio’s program line up include: The Breakfast Show, Braggy Brunch Show, Inside Out, The R&B Show, Adam in the Eve, Dear Candy and Saturday Fun Machine, as well as top-of-the-hour Home Radio News, Now!, as well as everyday and every hour of Home Radio Classic Jam Natural (timeless hits from 70s and 80s) and the OPM hits from past and present thru Pinoy Music Jam, also for the brunch of Thursday throwback of music thru VHS: Throwback Thursday (24 hours) and the countdown on Fridays as Home Radio Weekly Top 20. Heard nationwide, 97.9 Home Radio Natural, operates with 8 provincial stations namely: : 93.5 Home Radio Cagayan de Oro : 106.7 Home Radio Cebu : 89.3 Home Radio Dagupan : 98.7 Home Radio Davao : 98.3 Home Radio General Santos : 89.5 Home Radio Iloilo : 92.3 Home Radio Legazpi : 95.1 Home Radio Naga Soon, another station shall open in Palawan. Just like other FM stations, Natural’s music sets the perfect tone for work, play, or simply being entertained at home. 97.9 Home Radio Natural is the #1 Natural station in the country. : Monday-Friday (with VHS: Throwback Thursday, the hottest throwback hits on Thursday) : 05:00AM: The Breakfast Show (Juan Banana) (hottest hits) : 09:00AM: Braggy Brunch Show (Braggy Orange) (easy listening hits) : 12:00NN: Inside Out (Marco Avocado) (hottest hits) : 02:00PM: The R&B Show (Ducan Ramos and Jimmy Bondoc) (easy listening hits/hottest hits) : 05:00PM: Adam in the Eve (Adam Apple) (hottest hits) (with Home Radio Weekly Top 20, the top 20 music countdown, Friday 5:00-7:00PM) : 09:00PM: Dear Candy (Candy Grapes) (easy listening hits/love songs) : 12:00MN: Music automation (easy listening hits/love songs at 12 mn and hottest hits starts at 4 am) : Saturday : 05:00AM: Rico Mango (hottest hits) : 10:00AM: Adam Apple (easy listening hits) : 02:00PM: Happy Hour (Jake Fruit) (rock music) : 05:00PM: Saturday Fun Machine (Braggy Orange) (hottest hits) : 09:00PM: Dear Candy (Candy Grapes) (easy listening hits/love songs) : 12:00MN: Music automation (easy listening hits/love songs at 12 mn and hottest hits starts at 4 am) : Sunday : 05:00AM: Juan Banana (hottest hits) : 10:00AM: Adam Apple (hottest hits) : 02:00PM: Happy Hour (Jake Fruit) (rock music) : 05:00PM: Marco Avocado (hottest hits) : 09:00PM: Music automation (easy listening hits/love songs at 9 pm and hottest hits starts at 4 am) Oomph! Radio Last November, Viva Entertainment ventured into radio by acquiring Ultimate Entertainment’s Mango Radio stations. Hence, the birth of 105.1 Oomph! Radio in Cebu, manned by Viva’s newbie DJs. It also saw in Mega Manila to be remained as 1.5 Ommph! Radio in Manila. Sooner, it’ll expand in Davao and Zamboanga. Home Radio Last March 17, after 14 years as an AC station, 97.9 Home Radio entered into the Hot AC market, with its slogan Natural. Under the management of DWIZ program director and announcer Bryan Quitoriano, who used to be known as Idol T-Bowne from DM 955, Star FM and Yes FM, the same DJs had changed their names, which are lifted from food. If management thought that entering competition would be a success, it has happened the other way round. After Holy Week, the station underwent several changes with its name and staff, from changing its uprimary name, retiring the “Home Radio” brand, changing the frequency nomenclature, firing the female DJs, slowly moving away from the Hot AC market, to bringing back the Home Radio brand. In short, the station is going nowhere, trying to fit in with the trend and ending up losing in the long run. They should’ve entered the CHR market, while it brought back to its AC format, easy listening and adult hits since October and becoming the huge success as The #1 Natural Station. Last July, despite the numerous changes, it also launched its evening radio show hosted by the top singers Duncan Ramos and Jimmy Bondoc. And November, Home Radio will return to its female DJ, but this time is Bianca Strawberry and also added with Jake Fruit and Buko Josh. Aside from Candy Grapes (female DJ) along with Jake Fruit, some notable roster of Home Rado DJs are Rico Mango (Home Radio Production Specialist), Juan Banana (ex-Love Radio/Star FM DJ), Braggy Orange (ex-Barangay LS DJ; current voice-over for PTV-4), Marco Avocado and Adam Apple. It also launched Breakfast Show (Juan Banana as the morning show will spice up the day of the listeners with today's hottest hits), Braggy Brunch Show (Braggy Orange take the listeners playing the song requests and hits), It's Lunchtime (Marco Avocado as the noontime show for 12 noon is today's hottest hits), for course, Happy Hour (Jake Fruit for some of rock music playlist for afternoon at 2 pm), Naturally Yours (Adam Apple with today's hottest hits for evening), Dear Candy (Candy Grapes playing mellow music like love songs and slowdown while enjoy hit songs) and of course, Saturday Fun Machine (Braggy Orange) and Home Radio Weekly Top 20 (top 20 hottest hits on Friday). Every Sunday when it brought back to its throwback 21-hours via VHS (Variety Hits Sunday) as its throwback music will now focusing on the hits from 80's up to 2008. K-Lite 103.5 K-Lite proved to be one of the victims of Retro 105.9’s programming. After Holy Week, K-Lite revamped into a CHR station with The Beat of Manila slogan. It’s a bit similar to Magic 89.9, but its retro playlist consists of only 90s. At this point, it was manned by around 4 DJs (2 of them which are retained), leaving the rest of the airtime with automated programming. Last August 18, to compete with Retro 105.9, it revamped (again) as the Classic Hits station, carrying the Metro Manila’s Official Take Me Back Station slogan. Described as the “younger” Retro, it plays music from 90s to mid-2000s. And what’s good is that it has become lively once again; a few more DJs joined the station, and it launched Club Rewind, which airs during Saturday nights. Last November 24, it brought back The Hits and Lite Favorites slogan (initially used during its comeback last year), although nothing has changed on its playlist. Now added 80s music on a newest separate program to be called Past Forward (every Friday in order to compete with the 80's music Friday Madness of Magic 89.9, Throwback (80's music so good) of Mellow 947 and Playback Friday of 99.5 Play FM). Retro 105.9 Last March 28, Retro 105.9 DCG FM invaded the Metro’s airwaves. This station plays oldies, similar to its rival RJ 100.3, manned by veteran DJs who used to work with legendary stations, such as 99.5 RT and Campus Radio 97.1. Initially, they have Jimmy Jam, The Triggerman, Braggy, Joey Pizza, Joshua (initially a pinch-hitter), The Mole, Rudolph Rivera, Andy Tuna and JJ Sparx. Retro has later expanded its format and added new programs. After Holy Week, it began playing some OPM. It also launched SRO (Saturdays Retro On Stage) and Top 20 @ 12, both hosted by The Triggerman. Since mid-October, they launched Retro Discoteria (from Max FM), and recently Retro In Love. Last September, DJs shifted from 4 hours to 3 hours of airtime 6 days a week. Since mid-October, the management added King DJ Logan and Sgt. Pepper to its roster, leaving JJ Sparx out of the scene again. Despite becoming a huge success during the following months, this affects the classic programming of some CHR stations in the metro.